History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston; containing a concise history of the state, with protraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named cities, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families, Part 84

Author:
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing co., 1895
Number of Pages: 1532

USA > Texas > Harris County > Houston > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston; containing a concise history of the state, with protraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named cities, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 84
USA > Texas > Galveston County > Galveston > History of Texas, together with a biographical history of the cities of Houston and Galveston; containing a concise history of the state, with protraits and biographies of prominent citizens of the above named cities, and personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 84

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Colonel Yard died at Galveston, May 5, 1889.

a OLONEL J. H. BURNETT, Gal- veston. - John H. Burnett was born in the town of Greeneville, Greene county, Tennessee, July 8, 1830. His parents were Silas. E. and Ma- linda (Howell) Burnett, natives of Virginia, who settled early in the present century in Tennessee, whence, after a residence of some years, they moved to Georgia, where they subsequently lived and died. John H. was reared in Greeneville, Tennessee, and in Somerville, Georgia, in each of which

places he attended school, receiving very good educational advantages. At the open- ing of hostilities between the United States and Mexico, in 1846, he volunteered in Colonel Calhoun's regiment, with which he joined Scott's army and took part in all the engagements in which that army participated, rising by meritorious conduct from a private to Lieutenant. He quit the service with the reputation of being the best drill-officer of his regiment, and soon after his return home was honored with a Colonelcy in the local militia.

In 1854 Colonel Burnett came to Texas, being attracted to the State by the favorable opinion formed of it during his service in the Mexican war. He settled at Crockett, in Houston county, where he engaged in mercantile and farming pursuits. In 1857 he was elected to the Legislature and repre- sented Houston county in the lower branch of that body two terms. He was then elected to the Senate from the Senatorial district in which Houston county was at that time located, but resigned his seat to enter the Confederate army. He raised a regiment composed of sixteen companies, intending to join Joseph E. Johnston's army, but, failing to secure transportation, subse- quently joined the Confederate forces oper- ating under General Ben McCulloch in Arkansas. His regiment was known as the Thirteenth Texas Cavalry and took part in most of the campaigns and engagements in Arkansas and Louisiana, including Jenkins' Ferry, Milliken's Bend, and all of the en- gagements incident to Banks' Red river campaign, beginning with Pleasant Hill. Colonel Burnett was with his command and shared its fortunes from the date of its or- ganization to the close of hostilities.

After the war he returned to Crockett

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and again took up business pursuits, and, with the era of prosperity following that date, reaped good fruits from his industry and business-like management. In the fall of 1866 he opened a commission house in Gal- veston, in partnership with W. B. Wall, under the firm name of Burnett & Wall, which was continued under that name and under the name of J. H. Burnett & Com- pany until 1878.

In 1875 Colonel Burnett began to in- terest himself in railroad construction, taking the contract that year to build sixty-five iniles of the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railroad. After completing this contract he took others, and built a considerable portion of each of the roads, -the Texas & St. Louis, the Houston, East & West Texas and the Sabine & East Texas. He was also one of the original projectors of the Inter- , national Railroad, helped to secure its char- ter and to effect its consolidation with the Houston & Great Northern, and also to float the bonds in New York, from which each was built.

Purchasing property in Galveston as early as 1870, Colonel Burnett moved his resi- dence to this city and at once began to take an active part in its business and social af- fairs. For twenty years past he has had to do, in some capacity, with almost every pub- lic enterprise in the city. As contractor he did $350,000 worth of street paving and fill- ing; he built the Gulf City Street Railway, the Galveston & Western Railway; the two compresses (the Gulf City and the Shippers') and the present Tremont hotel, in all of which he took stock, owning at one time a majority of the stock in the two railways mentioned. His investments in the cities of Galveston and Houston, and in the Gulf coast country generally, easily run into the hundreds of

thousands of dollars, he being the largest single tax-payer in southern Texas.

At sixty-four Colonel Burnett is still hale, and is actively engaged in business affairs, interesting himself in everything around him. He has never held public office since the war, being too much absorbed with business pursuits to devote any time to office-seeking. He is a Democrat in politics, well grounded in the principles of his party, widely read in its history and capable of making, when oc- casion demands, a clear, logical and con- vincing presentation of his views.

In 1851 Colonel Burnett married Miss Catherine Beavers, a native of Somerville, Georgia, and a daughter of General John F. Beavers, who served his country with dis- tinction in the Indian wars of the earlier part of this century. The issue of this union was two children,-a son, Oscar H. Bur- nett, now a Brazos valley planter; and a daughter, Mrs. Ellen B. Ross, of Galveston. Colonel Burnett's wife died in 1886.

3 OHN DERRICK .- Turning to the oldest official documents of a local nature to be found in the city of Gal- veston, -the proceedings of the City Council for 1839, -the name of John Der- rick is there found duly enrolled as a mem- ber of the first board of Aldermen ever elected for this place.

Mr. Derrick came to Galveston in 1838. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was also reared, coming thence south and marrying Eupheniea E. Walker, of Louisville, Kentucky, who accompanied him to Texas. When Mr. Derrick settled in Galveston there were only a few houses here, and scarcely any facilities whatever for

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landing passengers, wares and merchandise. He took the contract to drive the piling for the first wharf, which was put in by McKin- ney & Williams, the pioneer merchants; and he also built the old Tremont Hotel, the first hostelry in the place, which stood on the site occupied by the present building of that name. Mr. Derrick resided in Gal- veston only a few years.

Having conceived the idea of making a fortune out of the stock business he sold his city property, the principal piece of which was a house and lot on the corner of Tre- mont and Strand, for $300, and moved, in 1841, to the head of Clear lake, across the bay in Galveston county, where he embark- ed in stock-raising. He never succeeded in winning his fortune, but made a comfortable living, and died in the enjoyment of the es- teem of those by whom he was surrounded. His death occurred in 1857, and his widow survived him some years, dying in 1865. Mr. Derrick was literally a pioneer of Gal- veston county. When he settled at Clear Lake there was but one other family in that general vicinity,-that of Leander Wescott, and but one other on the bay shore north of the channel, that of a Mr. Edwards, father of Monroe Edwards, living at Edwards' Point. To Mr. Derrick and his wife seven children were born in the order of their ages, as follows: Irene, the deceased wife of Emil Alstaten; Henry, now also de- ceased; Ella, widow of John F. Talbot; John W .; Althea, widow of Fred Duff; Mary, deceased; and George, a stock-raiser, residing in Brazoria county.

John W. Derrick was born April 3, 1842, on Clear lake, Galveston county, be- ing one of the oldest native-born citizens now residing in the county. He learned the trades of house carpenter and boat-builder

in his youth, and has followed these trades with varied success most of his life.

He entered the Confederate army in 1861, enlisting in Company C, De Bray's regiment, from which he was transferred, in 1862, to Captain H. B. Andrews' company, and subsequently detailed as baggage-master on the Galveston, Houston & Henderson Railroad. From this position he went to the marine department, where he became a blockade runner, in which capacity he had some thrilling experiences, making several trips from Galveston to the Rio Grande country, to Mexico and to Havana, passing and repassing United States gunboats, be- ing once captured and held for about three months in the State prison of New Orleans.

After the war Mr. Derrick resumed work at his trade as a boat-builder in the vicinity of Galveston, where he has since followed it.

May 9, 1866, he married Miss Mary Gordy, a native of St. Landry parish, Louisiana, who accompanied her father, Archie Gordy, to Texas the same year, her mother dying in Louisiana before the re- moval of the family to this State. Mr. and Mrs. Derrick have had twelve children, seven of whom are living: Florence, now Mrs. Oscar Johnson; Willie, Mary I., Cora, Asa, Edna and Oscar.

ENRY O. BERGSTROM .- This gentleman, who has held the posi- tion of delivery clerk on the Inter- national & Great Northern Railroad for the past seventeen years, and who has discharged the duties of that position in a very creditable manner, is a native of Texas, born at Quintana, September 4, 1854, of Swedish extraction, bearing in many traits of his character the impress of the sterling

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virtues of that race. His father, Swen Bergstrom, who was born in Sweden, was a watchmaker by trade and followed the same near the city of Stockholmn. His birth oc- curred March 23, 1804, and about thirty- eight years from that time, in 1842, he came to America, where he spent about three years in and around the city of Charleston, South Carolina. From there he came to Texas and carried on his trade, but in con- nection was also engaged in a seafaring life in consequence of ill-health. He became well off, owned shares in various sailing vessels, and became well versed in all the arts of navigation, having been quite a sea- man in his youthful as well as his latter days. His death occurred in February, 1862, when fifty-eight years old. His wife, wliose maiden name was Eva Treaccar, was a daughter of Franz William Treaccar, one of the well-known pioneers of Galveston (see sketch). She was born April 20, 1832, in Germany, and when but a child came with her parents to this country. After the death of Mr. Bergstrom she remained a widow until 1872, when she married Thomas Young, and had one child, who is now Mrs. William Smith, of Galveston.

Henry Bergstrom, the original of this notice, started out in life for himself as an employe of the Galveston, Houston & Henderson Railroad, now a portion of the International & Great Northern system, and for the past seventeen years has held the position of delivery clerk, as before mentioned. On the 27th of August, 1879, he married Miss Mary Simson, daughter of Henry Simson, who was a German by birth, born in Prussia, in 1826, and was a carpenter by trade. In 1865 the latter came to Galveston and remained there until 1872, following his trade, after

which he went back to visit the old country. On the return trip he died at sea. His wife, whose maiden, name was Mary Schumacker, and who was also born in Prus- sia, Germany, August 13, 1828, still sur- vives and finds a comfortable home with her daughter, Mrs. Bergstrom. After the death of her husband she married Charles Buck- land, who died in March, 1891. Mr. and Mrs. Bergstroin have three interesting chil- dren living : Walter, born May 23, 1882; Jennie, born September 4, 1888; and Mabel Ethel, born January 23, 1891. Mr. Berg- stromn is a gentleman of good business ability, having been for a number of years connect- ed with the shipping and transportation in- terests of Galveston, first in the employ of the Pilots' Association and latterly with the International & Great Northern Railway.

a APTAIN PETER COLLINS, a retired seaman of Galveston, is a native of Ireland, born May 12, 1830. His parents were John and Margaret (Darby) Collins, both of Irish parentage. The father was a sailor, and his son, the subject of this sketch, was sent to sea at the age of thirteen, and for a period of forty-six years followed the life of a sailor in various capacities. During his long term of service on the waters he visited all the important seaports of the world and had an active, varied and interesting career.

His first trip to America was in 1847, , and for some time following that date he sailed out of New York to the chief cities of the Atlantic coast, the West Indies and the Gulf of Mexico. From 1849 to 1851, in- clusive, he engaged in the cotton transport trade in the vicinity of Mobile, Alabama, running on the Alabama, Tombigbee and

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tributary inland streams, and on the Missis- sippi in the vicinity of Vicksburg. In the latter part of 1852 he went to California, and thence, a year or so later, to Australia, in each of which places he was engaged in min- ing. In 1857 he returned to America and resumed steamboating at New Orleans. From that city, in the fall of the same year, he came to Galveston as a passenger on board the steamship . Mexico." He at once settled in Galveston and began oper- ating in the coast-wise trade on the Gulf and along the Brazos and Trinity rivers. He followed this until the opening of the civil war, when he offered liis services to the Confederacy, and, entering the Marine De- partment, was engaged mostly in running the blockade from 1861 to 1865. After the war he again took up the occupation of a local navigator, and, as owner of various craft at different times, was engaged in local trade and transportation until 1880. At that date he retired from all active pursuits.

Captain Collins has been three times married, but has children by only two of his marriages. By his marriage with Julia Flynn he has one daughter, Maggie, and by his marriage with Mrs. Rose Ann Farndale, a native of Liverpool, England, whose maiden name was Clark,'he has two sons, Peter and John.

LEXANDER CALVIT HERNDON was born in Fort Bend county, Texas, December 15, 1846, and comes of the pioneer stock of that pioneer section of the State, being a sou of Jolm H. and Barbara Calvit Herndon, the foriner of whom came to Texas in 1838, and the latter in 1824. (See sketches of Jolin 40

H. Herndon and Alexander Calvit elsewhere in this volume. )

A. C. Herndon was reared in Fort Bend and Brazoria counties and received his ele- mentary education in a private school in Velasco. At the opening of the war he was sent to Europe with a view of completing his education there, and spent two years in an institution at Brussels ; but at the end of that time he returned home, and, entering the Confederate army as a member of Cap- tain Terry's scouts, was in the service until the close of hostilities. He engaged in planting in Brazoria county for a year after the war, and then purchased a farm two miles east of Richmond, in Fort Bend coun- ty, on which he settled and embarked on a large scale in agricultural pursuits. . About 1871 he began giving his attention to the real-estate business, moving to Houston at that date and there opening an office, where he took up operations in this line in all its branches. But he gave the business up be- fore he got fairly under way, and it was not until 1886 that he again resumed it, this time, as before, in Houston, where he has steadily and successfully pursued it since. The firin of A. C. Herndon & Son is now one of the well-established agencies of Hous- ton, and does its full share of the business in handling realty in that city and vicinity. The senior Mr. Herndon has made the land business a study, and he knows it thoroughly fromn beginning to end. He gives his attention chiefly to this branch of the business, while his son takes care of that branch relating to suburban and city property. Whatever measures have been set on foot to direct attention to the eligibility of Houston as a commercial, manufacturing and shipping point, or place of investment, or to place before the outside world the resources and

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value of the lands of Harris county, and south Texas generally, have found in Mr. Herndon a stanch advocate and willing and able assistant. He has originated many such measures himself, having spent good round sums of money in advertising the city and county abroad, showing their advantages for all classes of settlers. Mr. Herndon is one man who has quietly, but presistently and intelligently, helped to keep the Bayou City well to the front, and thus indirectly aided in building it up to a stature which, to so many, seems a marvel of growth in recent years.

He is only a plain business man, claim- ing no recognition for his services, being content with the rapidly expanding condi- tions and other evidences of prosperity which he sees around him as a reward for what- ever effort he may have made in behalf of the public good. He is not a politician in any sense, never having held office of any kind, but he is a Democrat "even after the most straightest of that sect," and can always be counted on to support his party's ticket.

Mr. Herndon has been twice married, marrying first in November, 1865, Miss Mary Robinson, a native of Louisiana, but at the time of her marriage a resident of Fort Bend county, this State. This lady died in 1879, leaving one son, Boswell, now junior member of the firm of A. C. Heru- don & Son. Mr. Herndon's second mar- riage occurred also in Fort Bend county, and was to Miss Sarah Weston, a native of that county and a daughter of John M. Weston, who settled there at an early date. The offspring of this union has been four children: Alexander C., Jr., Barbara, John M., and Robert S. Mr. Herndon and family belong to the Episcopal Church, and he holds a membership in the Elks and Knights of Honor.

ALTER BENNISON .- This sturdy old citizen of Galveston, now deceased, was born in Stock- port, Cheshire, England, March 29, 1819. He was of English parentage and thoroughly English in every fiber of his nature. He learned the trade of silk- weaver in his youth and followed it for a while, but subsequently took up blacksmith- ing, which formned the principal occupation of his life.

In his native country he married Sarah Hibbert, who was born in Loudoth, Derby- shire, England, January 19, 1819. In 1846 Hugh Bennison, a brother of Walter, came to Texas and settled at Galveston. A year later he was joined by the subject of this sketch, and the two brothers were for thirty years engaged in blacksmithing in partner- ship at Galveston. Walter Bennison fol- lowed his trade in this city for nearly forty years, -up to his death, which occurred October 29, 1884. His wife died May 9, of the same year; and both are buried in the Episcopal cemetery at Galveston. Mr. Bennison was a man of great industry and the strictest integrity. He was devoted unre- servedly to his business and his home. He possessed some peculiarities, but in all the essentials of good citizenship he fairly filled the measure, and to the end of his days he held the confidence and esteem of those with whom he was associated. He could rarely ever be induced to put his name to an obli- gation calling for money, avoiding debt as he would a plague. He never speculated, but, investing his means from time to time in real estate in the city of Galveston, he came to be the owner of considerable prop- erty, leaving an estate which, ac ording to the inventory, was worth at his death be- tween $60,000 and $70,000. He and his

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wife were the parents of several children, but fonr of whom, -Emanuel and John, born in England; and Elizabeth and Samuel, born in Galveston, -became grown. Emanuel died at the age of thirty-one, unmarried. John, born in 1846, served in Nichols' regi- ment during the late war; married Mrs. Mary Tarrant, widow of Dr. T. W. Tar- rant, of New York, March 17, 1880, and now resides in this city. Elizabeth is the wife of George Fox, of Galveston. Samuel, born December 14, 1859, married Mattie Yeager, of Galveston, in 1885, and has the following children: Walter, Samuel, Maud, Sarah and George A.

HOMAS H. EDGAR. - This well- known resident of Galveston coun- ty, Texas, comes of good old fight- ing stock, for not only did his father fight for the independence of Texas, and his maternal grandfather for the indepen- dence of America during the Revolution, leaving a leg on the bloody battlefield of Bunker Hill, but he himself was a soldier of the Confederate army during the great civil war. He is distinguished for being the first white male child born on Galveston island, his natal day being June 27, 1837.

His father, Alexander Edgar, was a Scotchman, born on the Grampian Hills, June 22, 1799, and his early life was de- voted to tilling the soil, which continued to be his occupation throughout life. In 1827 he emigrated to America, and the following year settled at Hartford, Connecticut, where he forined the acquaintance and became a warm personal friend of Stephen F. Austin. In 1831 he was married. to Miss Elizabeth Rogers, a daughter of John Rogers, of Hart-

ford, and two years later, with his young wife, came to Texas as a member of Austin's first colony, and temporarily located in Brazoria county, but April 5, 1834, settled on Galveston island, where he ever after- ward made his home. When Texas began her struggle for independence, he joined the Texas forces and was one of the brave little band at the bloody battle of the Alamo, be- ing under the command of General Milam, and stood by the latter's side when he fell, the bullet which caused his death having first passed through the crown of Mr. Ed- gar's hat. Later, when the Mexican officers capitulated, Mr. Edgar received the flag of truce from them. After the surrender he returned to his home and family, and took up his residence on the east end of Galves- ton island, which he proceeded to legally designate as his * headright," due him from the Government for services rendered as a soldier. Owing to the close of the land office by the continuance of the war, Mr. Edgar was unable to complete the filing of his papers for some time, but later on suc- ceeded in doing so, and pushed his claim in the courts to a tract of a league and labor of land, covering what is known as Galveston City leagne. The litigation extended over a period of nearly forty years, but at last was decided against the claimants. Mr. Edgar was exceedingly patriotic to the land of liis adoption, and was especially devoted to and a believer in Texas, to whose future greatness he looked forward with the great- est confidence and pleasure. He was a very useful pioneer, his memory is still cherished by those who knew the noble work he had done, and his name will ever be inseparably linked with her past romantic and glorious history. Ile was not an office-seeking politi- cian, but his sound sense made him a valu-

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able counselor and his advice was often sought, and, wherever followed, proved ex- cellent. His death occurred December 12, 1875, and that of his wife February 12, of the same year. The children born to them were Mrs. Wright S. Andrews and Mrs. Virgil Patrick, both now deceased; Thomas H., whose name heads this sketch; Mary Calder, who married John Wescott and is now deceased; Thomas M., died in youth; Mary R., also died young.

Thomas H. grew up under the educational and social influences of Galveston, and on the 22d of June, 1859, when twenty-two years of age, was united in the bonds of matrimony with Miss Sarah E., daughter of Hon. William Fields, an eminent newspaper man and author of Fields' Scrap Book, which was published in 1851 and reached a second edition at a later period. Mr. Fields came to Texas in 1838, therefore was one of its pioneers, and took an active part in the political affairs of his day, serving several terins in the State Legislature. He finally received the appointment of State Engineer, which office he held at the time of his death, in September, 1858. He was married to Miss Minerva H. Mayes, a native of Nashville, Tennessee, and a daughter of Garner Mayes, a farmer. She died in Chambers county, at the age of eighty years. When the civil war opened, Thomas H. Edgar entered the Confederate service, be- coming a member of the Twenty-sixth Texas Cavalry, commanded by Colonel X. B. De Bray. He was in the Trans-Mississippi Department, and his was one of the regi- ments regularly discharged. He then re- turned to his home and has since devoted himself to civil pursuits, and for many years very acceptably filled the position of Deputy Postmaster of Galveston.

3 OHN A. HARRINGTON, secretary and manager of the Island City Ab- stract & Loan Company, was born in Montgomery county, Alabama, October 11, 1840. His parents were Ed- ward Hampton Harrington and Ann, née Bradshaw, the former a native of Sumter district, South Carolina, the latter a native of Buncombe county, North Carolina. His parents were married in Alabama and re- sided there some years, when, in 1849, they moved to Texas and settled in Harrison county. After a year's residence in that county they moved to Waco, where the youth of the subject of this sketch was passed. He was educated at Baylor University, then lo- cated at Independence, Washington county, and at Georgetown College, Georgetown, Kentucky, at which latter institution he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, in 1859. Returning home he took up the study of medicine, and was engaged in preparing himself for entry to the medical profession when the war came on between the States. He entered the Confederate service in May, 1861, enlisting in Company E, Fourth Texas Infantry (Hood's brigade), with which he joined the Army of Virginia. He took part in all the engagements in which Hood's brigade participated, up to September 29, 1864, when he received a severe wound in a skirinish before Rich- mond, being shot through the right lung, from the effects of which he was sent to the hospital, where he was detained until June, 1865. Returning to Texas he located at Houston, where he became a clerk in the stationery house of Cushing & Cave, and was with them one year, when he began travel- ing for A. S. Barnes & Company, publishers, of New York. He traveled for that house two years, and their'settled at Kosse, in Lime-

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Author: Publication date: 1895 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing co., 1895 Number of Pages: 1532

Author:
Publication date: 1895
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis publishing co., 1895
Number of Pages: 1532